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Tag: Khabib Nurmagomedov

  • Former UFC Champion Names MMA Mount Rushmore With No Conor McGregor, Khabib Or Jon Jones

    Former UFC Champion Names MMA Mount Rushmore With No Conor McGregor, Khabib Or Jon Jones

    There’s always going to be talk of who the greatest MMA fighters of all time are but this year more than most, it has been a particularly relevant conversation. Whether it’s due to the discourse surrounding Jon Jones and the pound-for-pound rankings or the retirement of Demetrious Johnson, it’s been a consistent topic in recent months.

    One of the latest fighters to weigh in with his own take on the discussion is the former UFC featherweight champion, Max Holloway. “Blessed” not only comes in with a fairly unique Mount Rushmore list but explains why they all deserve their spots.

    In an interview with Stake ahead of his huge main event clash with Ilia Topuria at UFC 308, Holloway left out some big names but justified why that is the case.

    “I would say Demetrious (Johnson) is definitely up there, Anderson Silva is there too, GSP and then you have to give it to Forrest Griffin because he helped put the UFC on the map. That TUF Finale on Spike TV was huge for the UFC, so those are my guys for sure. Those four guys are absolute animals.”

    Holloway went on to talk about how, in his opinion, Johnson does not get the respect that he deserves just because he reigned supreme in the smallest of the men’s weight classes.

    “When you talk about Demetrious Johnson, it seems insane to me how he is viewed just because he fought at 125 lbs. This 125-er would absolutely whoop your ass. A lot of bigger guys think they can hang with him, you get these influencers and social media personalities who go around screaming, ‘I’m 260 bro, he’s 125lbs. Brother, Demetrious Johnson would take your ACL and your arm home and then he would come back and cut your head off if he wanted to. You could do nothing about it, he’s such a beast.”

    The BMF titleholder added that he has a lot of respect for the greatest welterweight and middleweight of all time, both of which made his list.

    “I wish I was fighting during the time that GSP was around, I would have loved to have shared the Octagon with him. He’s one of the greats, as was Anderson Silva – he was such a beast.”

    Holloway signed off by explaining the reasoning behind his picks, detailing his own specific criteria and why that eliminates his long time rival, Daniel Cormier.

    “Some people might disagree with my Mount Rushmore, but I’m looking at the way these fighters carried themselves inside and outside of the Octagon, how they were ambassadors for the sport and for the company as well. ‘DC’ is probably going to be mad that he’s not on my Mount Rushmore of MMA, but I don’t like the way he carries himself out of the UFC. He thinks he’s the ‘Daddest Man on the Planet’, he is delusional.”

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov Reveals Date For Islam Makhachev’s Next UFC Title Defense

    Khabib Nurmagomedov Reveals Date For Islam Makhachev’s Next UFC Title Defense

    Khabib Nurmagomedov has seemingly confirmed when reigning UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev will return to action.

    Makhachev has had just one outing in 2024 — a hard-fought submission win over Dustin Poirier at the Newark-held UFC 302 event to record his second defense of the 155-pound title.

    For the third straight year, the Russian was then being lined up to headline the promotion’s annual October pay-per-view in Abu Dhabi. But an injury that required surgery scuppered those plans and ruled Makhachev out for the remainder of 2024.

    Talk quickly arose of a possible interim title fight for top contender Arman Tsarukyan. But after UFC CEO Dana White was quick to dismiss that notion and insist plans were coming together for the champ’s return, the next lightweight title fight may have now had its date leaked…

    Khabib Leaks January UFC Title Defense For Makhachev

    During a recent interview (via Ushatayka), Khabib provided an update on Makhachev’s return after injury stalled plans for a second assignment in 2024.

    While he stayed short of confirming a location or opponent, “The Eagle” did reveal that his protégé has accepted a bout offer from the UFC for an event in January 2025, likely UFC 311.

    “UFC offered us a fight already, in January. We accepted it,” Nurmagomedov said. “UFC will announce very soon where it will take place and who will be Islam’s opponent. I will not make an announcement myself, but I can say that we are focused on January.”

    Although his name wasn’t mentioned, there’s little doubt about Tsarukyan’s status as next in line for a shot at title glory following his decision win over former champ Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 this past April.

  • GSP’s Coach Breaks Down Khabib Nurmagomedov Dream Fight In Terms Of Striking, Grappling, Submissions & More

    GSP’s Coach Breaks Down Khabib Nurmagomedov Dream Fight In Terms Of Striking, Grappling, Submissions & More

    Georges St-Pierre’s coach, Firas Zahabi, recently offered a comprehensive analysis the dream match-up against Khabib Nurmagomedov, breaking it down across all aspects of the game— striking, grappling, submissions, and more.

    “The Eagle” is widely hailed as one of the most dominant forces in UFC history, boasting a flawless professional record of 29-0. Nurmagomedov has often expressed that it was his dream to challenge another legend of the sport, St-Pierre. However, this fantasy matchup remains one of MMA’s greatest “what-ifs,” as the two icons competed in different weight classes and eras.

    Despite ‘Rush’ having two losses in his 28-fight career, he remains on par—or perhaps even ahead—of Nurmagomedov in the ongoing ‘greatest of all time’ debates. This comparison has sparked a persistent question within the MMA community: who would prevail in a hypothetical clash between these two icons?

    Zahabi Offers Honest Take On St-Pierre vs. Nurmagomedov Showdown

    During a recent appearance on Life Haqq, Zahabi was asked to share his impartial take on who would emerge victorious in a hypothetical 165-pound catchweight clash between St-Pierre and Nurmagomedov.

    The esteemed MMA coach noted that GSP has the upper hand in standup striking, citing his higher volume of career strikes. However, Zahabi acknowledged that while St-Pierre is equally adept in grappling, Nurmagomedov holds a distinct advantage when it comes to takedowns and takedown defense.

    Zahabi went on to assess that both UFC Hall of Famers are evenly matched when it comes to controlling the pace of the fight. While he acknowledged that their ground-and-pound skills are nearly identical, he gave a slight advantage to “The Eagle”.

    The TriStar Gym owner also weighed in on their submission game, favoring St-Pierre. Zahabi explained that GSP faced more grappling-heavy opponents throughout his career, whereas Nurmagomedov predominantly squared off against elite strikers like Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor. He further remarked that, in his view, both legends are equally matched in terms of stamina, predicting that their fantasy showdown would likely go the full five rounds

    Lastly, Zahabi offered his prediction, stating that, realistically, this would be an incredibly tough fight to declare a definitive winner. He added that any decision would likely be highly contentious, making it a controversial bout to score.

    “If it were a pound-for-pound thing, I would say it’s an even fight,” Zahabi said. “I think it’s going to be a pick who you think won, you know. It’s just such a hard thing to call. It would be really tough. It would be a very tough fight to call.”

    While Zahabi envisions the hypothetical matchup as a razor-close contest, St-Pierre expressed a more confident stance during his appearance on the Pound 4 Pound podcast this past March. GSP boldly stated that he believes he has what it takes to shatter Nurmagomedov’s unbeaten record.

  • Merab Dvalishvili Explains Why He Questioned Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov & Other Fighters Representing Russia

    Merab Dvalishvili Explains Why He Questioned Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov & Other Fighters Representing Russia

    Merab Dvalishvili has won tons of fans with his unhinged social media personality. Ahead of his fight with Sean O’Malley, “The Machine” released several skits mocking the champ and they’ve aged like fine wine now that he’s champion.

    Similarly, Dvalishvili has repeatedly spoken his mind on Umar Nurmagomedov getting a title shot after just one win over a ranked UFC bantamweight. His rivalry with the undefeated prospect has taken a new turn since he questioned the latter representing Russia.

    Dvalishvili recently explained the history of Georgia in detail and why he’s not a big fan of many fighters representing Russia.

    Merab Dvalishvili Reveals Why He Doesn’t Consider Umar Nurmagomedov, Khabib, Islam Makhachev, And Other ‘Caucasian’ Fighters Russian

    In a recent episode of the Fight Back podcast hosted by Jake Shields on YouTube, Dvalishvili discussed the history of Georgia. He told Shields about Russia still occupying 20% of Georgia and looked back at the terrors of the 2008 Russo-Georgian war.

    Dvalishvili didn’t hide his understandable animosity toward the Russian government as he witnessed several war crimes as a teenager. However, he admitted to not having the same feelings for Russian citizens who’ve always appreciated Georgia’s hospitality as well.

    The UFC bantamweight kingpin then reiterated that the following UFC fighters represent Russia but they technically belong to different independent nations:

    • Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Umar Nurmagomedov come from Dagestan.
    • Khamzat Chimaev belongs to Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.
    • Movsar Evloev hails from Ingushetia.

    “They are all on, I mean, it’s not independent country but all different countries. They are Muslim people, they have own culture, own tradition. That people, we call them Caucasian people, like because we have Caucas mountains. So, we are this side, they are other side. And then, but now, so like, I’m not going to say occupied but yeah somehow the Russia take over those countries and they have to ‘represent’ Russia. So, and I say, when somebody asked me Umar is from Russia, that’s why you don’t…I said, no, Umar not from Russia. He’s from Dagestan.”

    Dvalishvili made sure to point out that he understands the aforementioned fighters choosing to represent Russia for political, personal, or any other reasons. It’ll be interesting to see whether these remarks will add to the intensity of his rivalry with Nurmagomedov, though.

  • Umar Nurmagomedov: People Expect Me To Perform Like Khabib Every Time

    Umar Nurmagomedov: People Expect Me To Perform Like Khabib Every Time

    From the moment that he arrived in the UFC, Umar Nurmagomedov was never going to be your usual Octagon debutant.

    The bantamweight contender is the older brother of Usman Nurmagomedov and the cousin of the great Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired on top of the sport.

    After everything that the senior Nurmagomedov was able to accomplish in the UFC, there is always going to be high expectations for his own family to live up to that name.

    “The Eagle” didn’t just have success at the highest level of MMA, he was able to completely dominate opponents to the point where he made the toughest stylistic fights look easy.

    This has had a knock-on effect on Umar Nurmagomedov, in the way that some fans perceive him.

    Umar Nurmagomedov Says Some Fans Get Underwhelmed When He Isn’t “The Eagle”

    During an interview on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Nurmagomedov spoke about the way that some fans are not impressed by him because he isn’t as dominant as his elder cousin.

    The #2-ranked contender in the bantamweight division, who is likely next in line for a title shot, is putting on great performances but that doesn’t mean that his style or the way that he wins is the same as when “The Eagle” stepped inside the Octagon.

    With an undefeated record of 18-0, Nurmagomedov was asked by Kamaru Usman whether exceeding the legendary 29-0 record is something that he thinks about.

    He responded by saying that he isn’t looking to replicate his cousin’s career despite people often measuring him by that same level.

    “I think it’s going to be difficult to become too close [to] this man and even right now, everybody when we’re going to the cage, when we fought, everybody wait, we’re going to do same job and our wins not bring to people same emotional [effect], you know, because Khabib was maul everyone.

    “He go inside, finish him or broke [opponent], he did in the cage like great job and people, to see Nurmagomedov fight, they think we’re going to do same and when we win, they said, ‘Ah it’s like regular fighter, he just win’.”

    Read also: Michael ‘Venom’ Page Bemoans Sean O’Malley’s Lack Of ‘Killer Instinct’ After Hurting Merab Dvalishvili

  • Ali Abdelaziz Puts Movsar Evloev ‘On The Same Level’ As Khabib, Makhachev, Usman

    Ali Abdelaziz Puts Movsar Evloev ‘On The Same Level’ As Khabib, Makhachev, Usman

    Ali Abdelaziz didn’t hold back in his admiration for Movsar Evloev, even declaring him to be on par with several UFC icons.

    Evloev was supposed to square off against former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling on the UFC 307 main card, scheduled for October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. However, on Wednesday, “Funk Master” announced that he had sustained an elbow injury during training, forcing him to withdraw from the fight as he won’t be able to recover in time for the event.

    The UFC has yet to officially confirm the cancellation, but Evloev has made it clear on social media that he’s been putting in the work for this fight. He’s even expressed his readiness to take on a short-notice opponent.

    The 30-year-old Russian has been unstoppable since making his UFC debut in April 2019, where he announced his arrival with a commanding unanimous decision victory over SeungWoo Choi. Evloev has racked up eight consecutive victories inside the Octagon, all via decision. He has secured notable wins along the way, including victories over Dan Ige, Hakeem Dawodu, Diego Lopes, and, most recently, Arnold Allen at UFC 297 this past January.

    Abdelaziz, who only began managing Evloev last month, is confident that the American Top Team standout has the potential to ascend to the same level of greatness as UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, reigning lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, and former welterweight titleholder Kamaru Usman.

    Abdelaziz Predicts Evloev Will Capture UFC Featherweight Gold By 2025

    During a recent interview with TMZSports, Abdelaziz opened up about Evloev’s relatively sparse appearances in the Octagon. The Dominance MMA founder expressed his commitment to working closely with the UFC to ensure his new client stays more active.

    He emphasized that if frequent competition is what it takes for Evloev to earn his shot at the title, he’s fully prepared to make that happen.

    “I believe that he should fight again in December or January,” Abdelaziz said. “I want to keep him busy. It doesn’t matter—Khabib had to beat 10 guys to fight for the title, same with Islam and Kamaru. If this is the route the UFC wants, he needs to just smash everyone ahead of him and show why the UFC has no choice but to give him a title shot. And guess what? He’s willing to fight anybody, anywhere, anytime. But the key here is to keep him busy against anybody, and this is what’s gonna happen.”

    Abdelaziz further added that he recently trained with Evloev and described him as one of the most dedicated fighters he’s ever encountered. The renowned MMA manager even likened the Russian’s work ethic to that of Nurmagomedov, Makhachev, and Usman.

    “I had the pleasure to train with [Evloev], and he’s one of the strongest guys I’ve ever trained with. He’s dedicated—this guy sleeps at a certain time, eats specific food, and lives and breathes fighting. I truly believe that by 2025, Movsar is going to be the featherweight champion. I believe he’s a very hard puzzle to solve and very hard to beat. The abilities he has, the discipline he has, remind me of Khabib, Islam, and Kamaru. He’s on the same level—how these guys live, how they walk, how they talk, how they train.”

    While Evloev undoubtedly possesses the skills to claim the 145-pound title in the near future with his wrestling-heavy approach, the road ahead is far from easy. A formidable lineup of dangerous contenders lies in wait, eager to challenge his ascent to the top.

  • Conor McGregor’s Coach On Whether Islam Makhachev Can Outdo Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Legacy

    Conor McGregor’s Coach On Whether Islam Makhachev Can Outdo Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Legacy

    It almost seemed written in the stars that after Khabib Nurmagomedov retired on top of the lightweight division, Islam Makhachev would take over in his place.

    What wasn’t predictable at the time was that Makhachev would go on to be arguably the best fighter in the sport today.

    The current lightweight champion has been so impressive since winning the belt at UFC 280 that it has led to the conversation of whether he’s better than “The Eagle” ever was.

    Another big question is whether Makhachev will ever be able to overtake his close friend’s legacy after Nurmagomedov retired with an undefeated record of 29-0.

    Though there isn’t competition between them, the 32-year old was always going to have high expectations hanging over him.

    John Kavanagh Outlines How Islam Makhachev Can Potentially Overtake Khabib Nurmagomedov

    Though Makhachev doesn’t have the option of beating Nurmagomedov’s undefeated run, there are ways that he can accomplish feats that the former champion didn’t.

    The current 155-pound king has spoken a lot about wanting to move to welterweight in the near future though those plans seem to have been put on hold now that Belal Muhammad, who does parts of his camps with Makhachev and Nurmagomedov, has become the 170-pound champion.

    In a recent interview with Islam Babadzhanov, John Kavanagh gave his take on if and how Makhachev can pull out in front of “The Eagle”.

    The long-time coach of Conor McGregor at SBG Ireland also pointed to the lightweight champion adding a second belt to his collection which Nurmagomedov never had the option to do.

    “Wow. I’m sure there is [a chance for him to outdo Khabib] but it’s hard. You know, Khabib had obviously such a fantastic run. Maybe Islam can do a ‘champ champ’ and go up some weight classes. We will see.”

    Read also: ‘That Was A Fluke Too’ – Former UFC Champ Questions O’Malley’s Win Over Sterling After UFC 306

  • Usman Nurmagomedov Sets Undefeated 100-0 Combined Record Target For Family: ‘I Have Goal For This’

    Usman Nurmagomedov Sets Undefeated 100-0 Combined Record Target For Family: ‘I Have Goal For This’

    Usman Nurmagomedov recently announced an ambitious goal for the Nurmagomedov family: to achieve an undefeated combined record of 100-0 collectively.

    Nurmagomedov successfully defended his lightweight title with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Alexander Shabliy in the main event of Bellator Championship Series 4, held at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego last weekend.

    Usman hails from the legendary Dagestani fighting team, carrying on the family legacy as the younger brother of UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov and the cousin of former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

    “The Eagle” is widely regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. Although he may have retired from active competition in October 2020, the Nurmagomedov legacy lives on. Usman, following in his cousin’s legendary footsteps, is determined to etch the family name deeper into MMA history…

    100-0 Dream for Nurmagomedov Family Requires Usman and Umar to Win 35 More Bouts

    During the post-event press conference following his victory over Shabliy last weekend, Usman shared his ambitious vision of reaching an almost unblemished 100-0 collective record for the Nurmagomedov family by the time he hangs up his gloves.

    “We want to make like 100-0,” Nurmagomedov said. “Inshallah, one day it’s going to be 100-0, almost 100, not exactly 100. I have [goal] for this, like I have realized, and we’ll see what’s going to happen. You know, the world is changing every second—you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow.”

    Both Usman and Umar currently boast flawless professional records of 18-0, while “The Eagle” retired with an undefeated 29-0. Together, this puts the Nurmagomedov family’s collective record at 65-0.

    To achieve their bold vision of a 100-0 record, Usman and Umar—both still early in their careers—must secure 35 more victories combined, all while maintaining their undefeated streak.

    Usman secured his second successful defense of the lightweight title, a belt he originally claimed in November 2022. His unanimous decision victory over Brent Primus at Bellator 300 in October 2023 was overturned to a no contest after Nurmagomedov tested positive for a banned substance.

  • ‘Khabib Bout To Jump In Himself’ – Fans React To Usman Nurmagomedov’s Bellator Title Defense, Khabib’s Corner Face Crank

    ‘Khabib Bout To Jump In Himself’ – Fans React To Usman Nurmagomedov’s Bellator Title Defense, Khabib’s Corner Face Crank

    Usman Nurmagomedov continued to live up to the high praise of his cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov, who has called him the future of the sport, by recording successful lightweight title defense against Alexandr Shabliy in the main event of Saturday’s Bellator Champions Series event in San Diego.

    From the beginning, Shabliy looked to use a quick right hook to his advantage, especially on the counterattack. But Nurmagomedov managed to score a takedown in the first round, though his challenger quickly shook him off.

    The two had a back-and-forth striking second round, and the third round proved to be the quietest of the bunch. Nurmagomedov did, however, still appear to be the fighter with more activity.

    The champ got quite the scare in the fourth round thanks to a one-two and a knee early in the round, turning away after the attack. But as it turned out, Shabliy poked him in the eye.

    Nurmagomedov then had his own moment of success later in the round, rocking his fellow Russian with a high kick and bringing him back to the mat, looking for a submission. The moment was topped by a shot of Khabib Nurmagomedov, in his cousin’s corner, doing a mock face crank of his own on UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov.

    Shabliy was unable to pull the trigger and do much in the fifth round until it was too little, too late. Nurmagomedov won 50-45 on one judge’s scorecard and 49-46 on the other two to retain the title.

    Usman Nurmagomedov Nearly Sweeps Scorecards In Successful Bellator Lightweight Title Defense Over Alexandr Shabliy

    Nurmagomedov claimed the lightweight title with a win over Patricky Pitbull at Bellator 288. He then retained in wins over Benson Henderson and Brent Primus (the latter overturned to a no contest) during the unfinished Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix.

    Shabliy, meanwhile, had a nine-fight win streak entering this fight, including victories over Tofiq Musayev and Pitbull during the same tournament.

  • ‘A Khabib Rematch’ – MMA Analyst Imagines Conor McGregor’s UFC Career If He Never Fought Floyd Mayweather

    ‘A Khabib Rematch’ – MMA Analyst Imagines Conor McGregor’s UFC Career If He Never Fought Floyd Mayweather

    Conor McGregor’s iconic UFC run between 2013-16 helped skyrocket the popularity of mixed martial arts. He won the UFC featherweight title by knocking out long-time champ José Aldo in just 13 seconds and became the first double champ in the promotion’s history by defeating Eddie Alvarez.

    Instead of defending either of his belts, though, McGregor boxed Floyd Mayweather in one of the most popular boxing bouts in history. He definitely made a fortune from it, but fans often complain about missing a lot of Irishman’s prime in MMA because of it.

    Prominent combat sports analyst Luke Thomas recently pondered how McGregor’s UFC career would’ve been if the Mayweather fight never happened…

    Luke Thomas Predicts Conor McGregor Would’ve ‘Petered Out’ Of MMA For Money-Making Opportunities Regardless Of Floyd Mayweather Bout

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNvyEC-Kh04

    Thomas was recently asked how different McGregor’s UFC career could’ve been had he never fought Mayweather. He right away admitted that stepping into boxing was the dividing line of the Dubliner’s career.

    Before fighting Mayweather, “The Notorious” was one of the most consistent fighters on the UFC roster. He fought three times in 2015 and 2016. Interestingly, he even fought Nate Diaz with no title on the line when Rafael Dos Anjos pulled out of UFC 196. After a huge upset, McGregor avenged the Diaz loss after four months.

    In contrast, fans have been desperately waiting to see a consistent McGregor in the Octagon since the Mayweather fight. He came back to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov for the UFC lightweight title in 2018. After a submission loss, he returned in 2020 against Donald Cerrone.

    After his two consecutive losses to Dustin Poirier in 2021, McGregor hasn’t fought in the UFC. He was scheduled to headline UFC 303 but pulled out of a fight for the first time in his career and to date, there’s no clarity on when he would take on Michael Chandler.

    According to Thomas, McGregor would’ve still explored businesses and not relied on MMA as his primary source of income. Looking at his record, the analyst anticipated that a rematch with Nurmagomedov would’ve been possible and the “Mystic Mac” would’ve had a few more consistent UFC fights instead of having the long layoffs he enjoys currently.

    “I still think he probably would’ve petered out in MMA and found something else to do, whether it was through whiskey or something. Maybe some other opportunity for crossover would’ve emerged and he would have taken it. I know the Floyd circumstance was unique. But I tend to think his career would’ve probably gone a little bit more, obviously more conventionally, you know. He would’ve had a few more fights in closer succession rather than that being the dividing line.”

    However, Thomas doesn’t believe that McGregor not fighting Mayweather would’ve changed things significantly. He predicts that the MMA star would’ve jumped on other crossover opportunities and fans wouldn’t have seen him fight three times a year for the next five years anyway.

    “I tend to think he would have stuck around more. Maybe, there would have been a Khabib rematch, right? Just something more of a conventional approach but I do think he would’ve petered out, like, I don’t think we would have gotten the second half of his prime. It would have been different but I don’t think it would have been radically different.”

  • Jon Anik Opens On Emotional Tribute To Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Father: ‘The Only Thing That Even Comes Close…’

    Jon Anik Opens On Emotional Tribute To Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Father: ‘The Only Thing That Even Comes Close…’

    There was a point in time where MMA fans questioned the UFC’s decision to have Jon Anik take over as the lead play-by-play commentator on the broadcasts, only for him to become an integral part of the promotion.

    Anik has been a part of so many incredible moments in the history of the sport but for “Big” John McCarthy, there’s one memory that stands out.

    McCarthy and Josh Thomson were joined by the modern-day voice of the UFC on the latest episode of their Weighing In podcast.

    During their conversation, the veteran referee wanted to highlight how one piece of work from Anik has always stuck with him since he first heard it.

    Anik delivered a tribute to the late Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov following his passing in 2020 which led to his son, Khabib Nurmagomedov, retiring on top of the sport.

    Jon Anik Reflects On Tribute For Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, Reveals Whether Anything Tops It

    After McCarthy spoke about the level of emotion and heart that the commentator was able to put into this tribute as one of his finest moments on the mic, Anik spoke about the backstory of putting this together.

    When asked if there was anything in his career that tops this, he gave another example of a powerful piece of work like the tribute for Nurmagomedov, that he also gives a lot of credit to his producer at the time to.

    “Yes, I mean the only thing that even comes close and same producer no longer with the UFC, Mike Ricci now actually working for chess.com, and my daughters along with Daniel Cormier’s daughter got to do an Amanda Nunes essay. So it was those three girls doing it so it had nothing to do with me. I don’t know that anything could top that but man, yes, you’re giving me chills when you reference that poem, ‘a father to his son.’

    “I wish I remember what it was but oftentimes when we do an essay for a fighter, I might write it, I might have a ghost writer and then I might edit that script. In this case, it was this poem that was actually picked and I really had to find, and I appreciate you acknowledging the work because I am proud of it. I had to find, sort of a dulcet, melancholy, sad tone that was very, and it was voiced on this exact headset that you’re looking at right now in a hotel room probably like this so finding the right tone and sending that off, hoping that they would put it together in the right way, yes it was special and obviously it was to him [Khabib Nurmagomedov] but Mike Ricci really deserves all the credit.”

    Read also: Coach On Sean O’Malley Not Defending Title Against Umar Nurmagomedov: “If ‘Suga’ Just Faceplants Merab & Drops A ‘Hendo’ Bomb…”

  • MMA Analyst Believes Israel Adesanya Following ‘The Khabib Model’ Might Have Led To Dricus Du Plessis Loss

    MMA Analyst Believes Israel Adesanya Following ‘The Khabib Model’ Might Have Led To Dricus Du Plessis Loss

    Israel Adesanya failed to reclaim the UFC middleweight championship from Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305. He lost the belt to Sean Strickland in a huge upset and for the first time in his pro MMA career, he has two consecutive losses on his record.

    Like Kamaru Usman at welterweight and Alexander Volkanovski at featherweight, Adesanya lost his title after a dominant run in the middleweight division. He beat top contenders like Paulo Costa, Yoel Romero, Marvin Vettori, Robert Whittaker, and Jared Cannonier without much trouble.

    While fans ponder what’s next for him, MMA analyst Luke Thomas shared his two cents on the decline of “The Last Stylebender”…

    Luke Thomas Blames Israel Adesanya’s One-Dimensional Style For His Loss To Dricus Du Plessis At UFC 305

    Thomas discussed why Adesanya’s dominant reign ended abruptly on his YouTube channel recently. He responded to a fan asking whether Izzy never developed his skills in accordance with other fighters in the middleweight division.

    He pointed out two ways for champions to dominate their weight class. They can rely on a well-rounded style like Islam Makhachev who possesses dangerous wrestling alongside accurate boxing and kicks. Or, they can master one facet of their game like Khabib Nurmagomedov who was an unstoppable force due to his wrestling despite never having a commendable standup.

    “You can be dominant in the UFC via two different models. One is, you are sort of well-rounded but you’ve got one ace in the hole. And you know, you can play the levels a little bit if you have to, but you kind of lean on your strengths. And that’s a common skill set like Islam is kind of like that, right? Or you can go a little bit more like Khabib where, you know, you can get by on the other stuff as long as you might need to for a couple of minutes. But you’ve got one skill set and it’s way better than everybody else and you just lord that over somebody like the Khabib model. Izzy was kind of always on that second model.”

    According to Thomas, Izzy’s dominance at middleweight was similar to Nurmagomedov’s. He had decent takedown defense but outscored all his opponents on the feet. His wins over Whittaker and Alex Pereira exemplify this perfectly.

    The combat sports analyst also highlighted that Adesanya never submitted an opponent in the UFC and most of his wins came in a similar fashion. He used this to explain why the former UFC middleweight kingpin couldn’t sustain his dominance like José Aldo, who’s still winning fights after making his promotional debut in 2011.

    “He got pretty far but could you argue, had there been a little more development and weaponization of the ground game or a bare minimum like submissions, you know, had he got taken down and have to spend time constantly fighting or if his wrestling had gotten really good, what could that have done like Jose Aldo.”

    Although Thomas brought up a couple of notable holes in Adesanya’s game, he called him the second-best middleweight of all time without a doubt. So, even though “The Last Stylebender” has struggled to beat the new generation of middleweights lately, one can’t deny that his striking prowess was enough to make him an all-time great.

  • Classy Khabib Nurmagomedov Sets Record Straight After Tony Ferguson Aims Vulgar Taunts At Him: ‘Enjoy Your Life & Your Family’

    Classy Khabib Nurmagomedov Sets Record Straight After Tony Ferguson Aims Vulgar Taunts At Him: ‘Enjoy Your Life & Your Family’

    Khabib Nurmagomedov facing Tony Ferguson inside the Octagon will always be one of the biggest fights that fans never got to watch happen.

    The two men were at the top of the lightweight division at the same time and whilst their paths never crossed, they beat nearly every other top contender between them.

    Ferguson and Khabib both had incredible winning streaks but the fight simply wouldn’t happen, despite getting close on multiple occasions.

    Though “The Eagle” appeared to move on from this, especially after he announced his retirement, “El Cucuy” doesn’t seem to have ever let this one go even after their careers have gone in completely different directions.

    A recent post from the former interim lightweight champion appeared to hit back at comments that he had seen which were allegedly made by his former rival, claiming that Ferguson’s only chance of beating him was to land a lucky shot.

    Ferguson responded via his usual style of cryptic posting on social media.

    Khabib Nurmagomedov Clears The Air With Tony Ferguson, Tells Him To Enjoy Life

    Rather than just ignoring these kinds of posts from Ferguson, which were once a common occurrence, Nurmagomedov responded to this one via his X profile.

    The undefeated former lightweight king replied underneath Ferguson’s pinned post on his account and offered a classy response.

    Rather than biting back and saying how he would have beaten “El Cucuy” if they did ever face off with one another, Nurmagomedov clarified that these comments weren’t made by him.

    He ended his statement by telling Ferguson to go and appreciate his loved ones, insinuating that he should walk away from the sport for good after he appeared to half-retire following his eighth consecutive UFC loss earlier this month.

    “You know what’s interesting, i didn’t say anything about you, people just post whatever they want on the internet and write that it’s Khabib. Enjoy your life and your family, leave this sport for the young fighters.”

    Read also: Dan Hooker On Learning His Lessons From Initial Top Five Stint, Vows Not To ‘Sell His Title Shot Again’

  • Sean O’Malley Feels Defeating Coach Khabib Nurmagomedov Would Be All-Time Career Highlight: ‘It Would Be Hard To Top That…’

    Sean O’Malley Feels Defeating Coach Khabib Nurmagomedov Would Be All-Time Career Highlight: ‘It Would Be Hard To Top That…’

    Should Sean O’Malley successfully defend his bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306, another big fight awaits the champion.

    Umar Nurmagomedov will look to become the second fighter in his family to win UFC gold following his win over Cory Sandhagen.

    Alongside the fact that it’s a great clash of styles, this fight is huge because of Umar’s family bond with the great Khabib Nurmagomedov.

    The former UFC lightweight champion is sure to be in his corner for that fight and that’s something that adds extra incentive for “Suga”.

    Getting the chance to test himself against one of the best minds in the sport makes this one even more significant for his legacy.

    Sean O’Malley Says Even Two-Weight Success Would Struggle To Top Going Up Against Umar & Khabib Nurmagomedov

    Having Khabib in the mix with his cousin is going to make the fight feel bigger and that suits O’Malley well if it does end up happening.

    Since retiring from MMA with his undefeated record intact, “The Eagle” has earned a phenomenal reputation as a coach and cornerman.

    In many ways, he stepped into the role that was left behind after his father, Abdulmanap, passed away.

    O’Malley spoke in a recent interview with Red Corner MMA about how getting the chance to go up against this Nurmagomedov family team would be a career-high moment for him.

    “I never really thought about it but just kind of off the top of my head right now if I think about it, that would be cool. Khabib’s a legend, 29-0 and very disciplined, serious guy which would make it even more fun.

    “It’d be hard to top that, like I guess beating Ilia or Max after that, like there’s guys you could top that with but it’d be hard to get too excited for. I don’t know, I’m thinking out loud right now. It would be cool.”

    Read also: Sean O’Malley ‘Annoyed-ish’ At Noche UFC Fight Promotion After Getting Nod To Headline Over Holloway vs. Topuria, Conor McGregor

  • ‘Cain Looks Like He Was Holding Back Tears’ – MMA Fans React To Khabib Nurmagomedov Reminiscing With Cain Velasquez

    ‘Cain Looks Like He Was Holding Back Tears’ – MMA Fans React To Khabib Nurmagomedov Reminiscing With Cain Velasquez

    In a recent video posted on Instagram by AKA head coach Javier Mendez, two of the gym’s greatest fighters shared a touching moment.

    Khabib Nurmagomedov may have defined this stable for many years but before him, there was heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez flying the AKA flag alongside Luke Rockhold and Daniel Cormier.

    Velasquez competed in one of the biggest fights in the history of the gym when he faced Brock Lesnar at UFC 121 and brought the heavyweight title back with him.

    In the video, Nurmagomedov is watching the fight on his phone whilst stood next to his former teammate, speaking about the impact this fight had on him, recalling how he watched it hundreds of times.

    It’s a warm exchange as “The Eagle” gives deserved props to one of the heavyweight division’s greatest fighters.

    MMA Fans React To Khabib Nurmagomedov Taking A Second To Recognise Cain Velasquez

    The fans reacted on social media to Nurmagomedov celebrating one of the biggest nights in the history of AKA.

    Velasquez will always be a legend of the sport but what he did that night against Lesnar put him into a whole new level of recognition and in turn, this brought a lot of credibility to AKA, where Nurmagomedov would go on to spend his years.

    “Cain look like he was holding back tears”

    “Feels so good to watch khabib fanboying”

    “My goat knows how to respect your elders esp when they’re going through tuff times”

    “Khabib has respect for him, he was a champion before Khabib was and treated him like family and He still remembers that”

    “Team AKA produced the best UFC champions out of every camp in the USA.”

    https://twitter.com/KhabibsRightEar/status/1826789276933091668

    “Guys like Khabib are the best kind of people to have in your corner”

    “Perfect time to go rewatch that fight.”

    Read also: Battle Of The Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Press Conference Highlights & Faceoff

  • Michael Chiesa Recalls ‘That Version’ Of Tony Ferguson: ‘I Will Go Out On A Limb & Say I Think He Could Have Beat Khabib Nurmagomedov ‘

    Michael Chiesa Recalls ‘That Version’ Of Tony Ferguson: ‘I Will Go Out On A Limb & Say I Think He Could Have Beat Khabib Nurmagomedov ‘

    At one point in time, Khabib Nurmagomedov versus Tony Ferguson was right at the top of every MMA fan’s bucket list for fights they wanted to see.

    Despite the two men undergoing multiple training camps and fights weeks in preparation for one another, it never did materialize during their careers.

    With Nurmagomedov retiring in 2020, history has been much kinder to him as he walked away from the sport with his undefeated record intact.

    Ferguson at his peak was able to match the lightweight winning streak of “The Eagle” but he now finds himself holding the UFC record for the most consecutive losses.

    That being said, it can’t be forgotten just how desirable this fight was when both men were beating everyone else at 155 pounds.

    Michael Chiesa Says 2016 Tony Ferguson Could Have Beaten Khabib Nurmagomedov

    In a recent interview with BJPenn.com, Michael Chiesa spoke about how he prepared to face Ferguson at the recent UFC Fight Night event in Abu Dhabi.

    He revealed how rather than watching his opponent’s latest outings, he went back to watching the very best of the former interim lightweight champion in order to make sure that he was training to fight Ferguson at full force.

    Chiesa would go on to win the fight via a submission but watching footage on his opponent only made him appreciate the winning run that he went on between 2013-2019, even more.

    He said that in one of the biggest “what ifs” in MMA history, he believes that the 2016 version of “El Cucuy” in particular had a strong chance of handing Nurmagomedov his first and only loss if they had met inside the Octagon 8 years ago.

    “I will admit like going back and watching some of his recent fights, I wouldn’t say gave me a false sense of security but I was definitely like this isn’t the film to watch, I’m going to go back and watch the film that I was watching to prepare for him in 2016. I watched that Rafael Dos Anjos fight a lot because I feel like that version of Tony Ferguson that we saw in the Octagon against Rafael Dos Anjos, I feel like he could have beat anybody in the world. I mean, I will go out on a limb and say I think that he could have beaten Khabib Nurmagomedov if that was the version of him. I think that was his peak. The peak was RDA and even though he still won fights from there, I still think it started to go down a little bit.”

    Read also: Belal Muhammad On Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Ability 4 Years On From Retirement: ‘Could Come Back & Be A Champion In Any Division’

  • ‘Ain’t Gonna Help The Glass Chin But Sure’ – MMA Fans React As Johnny Walker Ditches Conor McGregor’s Gym To Train With Khabib Nurmagomedov

    ‘Ain’t Gonna Help The Glass Chin But Sure’ – MMA Fans React As Johnny Walker Ditches Conor McGregor’s Gym To Train With Khabib Nurmagomedov

    Having spent time earlier in his career training in both Scotland and England, Johnny Walker eventually found his way to SBG Dublin in Ireland.

    Joining the gym in 2020 after facing some adversity following his rapid climb up the light heavyweight rankings, the Brazilian has spent the majority of his UFC tenure with this team.

    Here Walker would develop a great relationship with head coach John Kavanagh, who is most well known for being the main man in the corner of Conor McGregor.

    However, following another patch of difficult results, it looks like the knockout artist is now looking to take himself out of his comfort zone once again.

    Recent photos that were posted by “iamthebay” on Instagram show a training session at the American Kickboxing Academy, or AKA, in California.

    Here, Walker can be seen getting some work in with the likes of Khabib and Usman Nurmagomedov, as well as the UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev.

    MMA Fans React To Johnny Walker Training Alongside Khabib Nurmagomedov After Years At SBG

    Walker has always been a fighter that generates talking points both in and out of the cage and this has now extended to his training.

    Though it’s far from uncommon to see fighters move between top gyms during their careers, you won’t see many that switch from McGregor’s home base to that of his arch rival’s.

    In Walker’s case, working with some of the top grapplers in the sport could help to round out his skill set, making this invaluable training for him.

    MMA fans reacted on social media to the images of Walker and Nurmagomedov sharing a mat together.

    “If Johnny comes into his next fight with a chin I’m heading to dagestan”

    “Ain’t gonna help the Glass chin but sure”

    “Good idea to change his fighting style”

    “Johnny Walker will become Dessert Eagle”

    “If he leaves John Kavanagh for Khabib and AKA, he can maybe turn his career around”

    “I know Conor is big mad seeing this. Walker was training at SBG, which is Conor’s gym now hes training at AKA, which is Khabib’s gym…”

    “The best move, as proven with all the fighters that go train with them”

    https://twitter.com/RuflonMMA/status/1823679784762609708

    “Khabib swap your chin with him he needs it more than you”

    Read also: Belal Muhammad On Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Ability 4 Years On From Retirement: ‘Could Come Back & Be A Champion In Any Division’

  • Belal Muhammad On Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Ability 4 Years On From Retirement: ‘Could Come Back & Be A Champion In Any Division’

    Belal Muhammad On Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Ability 4 Years On From Retirement: ‘Could Come Back & Be A Champion In Any Division’

    According to UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad, lightweight legend Khabib Nurmagomedov has not lost a step.

    Muhammad was crowned kingpin at 170 pounds courtesy of a dominant upset victory over Leon Edwards at the UFC 304 pay-per-view event in Manchester, England, late last month.

    Having achieved his title dreams on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage, “Remember the Name” had plenty of thanks to pass around to those who helped him reach the position he now finds himself in.

    Among them is Khabib Nurmagomedov and the members of his team.

    Prior to his knockout victory over Sean Brady in 2022, Muhammad sought the help of the former UFC lightweight champion and even had his guidance from the corner on fight night.

    Be it in person or over the phone, Muhammad has had a similar helping hand from “The Eagle” ever since. With that in mind, the welterweight champ is uniquely placed to describe the condition Khabib is in when it comes to hands-on training.

    And according to him, Khabib — who retired with a 29-0 record following his successful title defense against Justin Gaethje in 2020 — is still a step above the rest…

    Muhammad: Khabib ‘Toyed With Me’ In Training

    During a recent appearance on ex-UFC athlete Brendan Schaub and Bryan Callen’s The Fighter and The Kid podcast, Muhammad further described the work he’s been putting in with Khabib and some of the big names on the Nurmagomedov team.

    “Remember the Name” admitted he was regularly schooled on the mats, including by the retired lightweight legend himself. And when it comes to Khabib’s continued mixed martial arts capabilities, Muhammad says he’d back “The Eagle” to capture gold again at any weight.

    “There’s not a weak person in that group. Every single one of the people is beating me up,” Muhammad said. “Khabib’s freakin’ playing with me, throwing me around. I’m just like, ‘Man, I’m fighting for the world title and this guy’s just toying with me.’

    “Literally, when I was in New Jersey I was like, ‘Bro, I’m getting killed by him,’” Muhammad continued. “Khabib’s still — literally he could come back and be a champion right now in any division he wants to. … It’s literally unbelievable.”

    Unfortunately for fans hoping to see those claims tested inside the cage, Khabib has remained firm on his refusal to entertain a comeback since hanging up his gloves.

    While he was initially a regular fixture in the camps and corners for the likes of Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov, “The Eagle” took an extended break from traveling in 2023.

    Recent months have seen his return to that realm, however, with Khabib first cornering Makhachev against Dustin Poirier this past June and more recently calling the shots for his cousin Umar’s victory over Cory Sandhagen earlier this month.

  • Eric Nicksick On Khabib Nurmagomedov Being Unhappy With Belal Muhammad During Training: ‘Punking Belal In Front Of Everybody…’

    Eric Nicksick On Khabib Nurmagomedov Being Unhappy With Belal Muhammad During Training: ‘Punking Belal In Front Of Everybody…’

    Xtreme Couture’s Eric Nicksick may be regarded as one of the best coaches in the sport but that doesn’t mean he’s not able to learn things from others in the same field.

    Since making the decision to retire on top of the sport, former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has seamlessly transitioned into a coaching role.

    Not only has he achieved a lot of success in the corner of other fighters, athletes will often share stories of how far coach Khabib will push people in training.

    He appears to have taken up a similar coaching style to that of his late father, and if it worked for Abdulmanap, why fix what isn’t broken.

    Eric Nicksick Recalls Key Lessons He Was Able To Take Away From Watching Khabib Nurmagomedov Coach

    During a recent interview with Red Corner MMA, Nicksick reflected on what it was like getting to watch Nurmagomedov lead sessions at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas.

    He reflected on one story in particular that showed him how professionalism is key to what they do alongside working hard in the gym.

    “Those guys do it at the highest standard at the highest level. One of the funny things too was Belal Muhammad brought a guest that was not cleared by Khabib and then like Khabib was not happy about that and just like kind of made me realize like I sometimes open my doors too much and allow people to come and train that we don’t get vetted through the system.”

    Nicksick went on to explain that Nurmagomedov walked a fine line between being actually annoyed by this scenario, whilst having fun with it at the same time.

    “You could feel like he was joking but he wasn’t, he was serious about it and Belal was like, ‘Oh dude, I’m so sorry,’ you know, and he goes, ‘I don’t know who this guy is.’ Then like the best part is like Khabib and I are sitting here and he kind of looks at me and he’s like, ‘Yeah Eric, are you going to let a guy in your gym that you don’t know, maybe he’s fighting one of your guys,’ like just kind of punking Belal in front of everybody, it was funny. But obviously, Khabib let the guys still continue to train but there was a process to that.”

    Read also: Daniel Cormier Pushes Back On Interim Title Talk Amid Islam Makhachev Injury: ‘He’s Fought Twice Very Recently!’ 

  • Javier Mendez Downplays ‘The Eagle’s’ Part In Belal Muhammad Title Win: ‘Khabib Only Put In A Week…’

    Javier Mendez Downplays ‘The Eagle’s’ Part In Belal Muhammad Title Win: ‘Khabib Only Put In A Week…’

    During Belal Muhammad’s current winning streak which now sees him at the top of the welterweight division, a lot has been made about the company he has chosen to keep.

    “Remember The Name” has got a solid and small team around him but he has also decided in recent times to do some work alongside the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev.

    This was especially true heading into Muhammad’s fight with Sean Brady, which produced his best performance inside the Octagon at that time.

    It was also a part of the narrative heading into his title fight with Leon Edwards last month.

    Whilst the champion at the time had dealt with American wrestlers in Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, how would he match-up with someone that has been training with some of the best grapplers in the sport?

    Javier Mendez Says Belal Muhammad’s Coaches Deserve More Credit For UFC 304 Win

    In a recent interview with Submission Radio, AKA head coach Javier Mendez said that people got too carried away with giving ‘coach Khabib’ credit for Muhammad’s recent title win.

    Whilst the welterweight challenger did manage to get some work in with “The Eagle” before heading to Manchester, Mendez revealed that it was only for a very small amount of time in the grand scheme of the training camp.

    He said that while Nurmagomedov did contribute and would have added some extra value, the credit for this win on the coaching side of things deserves to be aimed at Muhammad’s long-time team instead.

    “What about his coaches? What about Lou? What about his other coaches? Mike Valley, you know, what about them? I mean they were with him through this whole time so to me, it isn’t anything other than what they did as coaching staff because Khabib only put like maybe a week – two weeks to help him on this one and the rest he spent with his coaches. So, to me, I don’t like the narrative when they make it look like Khabib made the big difference when yeah he helped him but his coaches made the difference.”

    Read also: Javier Mendez Chooses Between Khabib & Umar Nurmagomedov In Striking, Grappling, Mental Toughness, & Chin

  • Sean O’Malley On Umar Nurmagomedov Being ‘Ashamed’ He Is Champion: ‘One Way I Can Become Bigger Than Conor…’

    Sean O’Malley On Umar Nurmagomedov Being ‘Ashamed’ He Is Champion: ‘One Way I Can Become Bigger Than Conor…’

    Sean O’Malley recently fired back at Umar Nurmagomedov, who expressed being “ashamed” of O’Malley as the UFC bantamweight champion.

    Nurmagomedov earned an impressive unanimous decision win over Cory Sandhagen in the main event of UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi last weekend, catapulting himself near the top of the division and potentially solidifying his status as the #1 contender.

    The undefeated Dagestani’s victory potentially positions him as the ideal challenger for “Sugar,” but this matchup hinges on whether O’Malley successfully defends his title against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 on September 14.

    Nurmagomedov is aiming to challenge O’Malley for the belt, hoping the American remains the champion by then. However, he hasn’t held back his criticism, previously labeling O’Malley as a negative influence on the younger generation.

    O’Malley is intrigued by Nurmagomedov as a potential challenge, but there might be an even stronger incentive for him to defeat the rising prospect…

    O’Malley Aims To Beat Nurmagomedov To ‘Sting’ Conor McGregor

    During a recent video on his YouTube channel, O’Malley discussed the potential of fighting Nurmagomedov in the future. His coach, Tim Welch, asked “Sugar” if he could knock out the Dagestani. O’Malley admitted that Nurmagomedov would be a challenging opponent but expressed confidence in his ability to succeed, pointing to his knockout of Aljamain Sterling.

    “I could chin anybody in the division,” O’Malley said. “Umar is a tough fight. I thought Aljo [Sterling] was the toughest fight in the division for me at the time, and I knocked him out. I think Umar is probably one of the toughest challenges in the division.”

    “Sugar” further remarked that a potential bout against Nurmagomedov could become one of the biggest fights in UFC history, and such a high-profile clash would surely drive Conor McGregor wild.

    “I think it makes it an interesting match, but O’Malley vs. Nurmagomedov could be one way I become, you know, bigger than Conor, like I’ve claimed I’ve wanted to be. If I do what he couldn’t do—beat a Nurmagomedov, take away the ‘O’—that would really sting him. He’s already mad at me, jealous, but this would really sting him.”

    “The Notorious” has a storied history with the Nurmagomedov family, highlighted by his intense rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov. This feud culminated in a dramatic showdown at UFC 229 in 2018, where McGregor suffered a fourth-round submission loss.

    O’Malley has recently set his sights on McGregor as a potential opponent, a surprising turn given their previous admiration for each other, which has now devolved into animosity. This shift followed a series of fiery exchanges on social media.

    Defeating a member of the Nurmagomedov family—an achievement that eluded McGregor—could be O’Malley’s way of getting the last laugh at his former idol.

  • Coach On Donald Trump Calling Khabib Nurmagomedov Favorite UFC Fighter

    Coach On Donald Trump Calling Khabib Nurmagomedov Favorite UFC Fighter

    Shortly after his latest corner assignment in Abu Dhabi last Saturday, Khabib Nurmagomedov received some kind words from a figure that has been on record as a big fan of his.

    The former US President Donald Trump has always been tied to the sport of MMA to some degree and just like any fight fan, he has his favorites.

    Trump has mentioned the former lightweight champion in the past and even posted on social media about it, after meeting him whilst in attendance at UFC 302.

    During a recent stream alongside Adin Ross, he said that “The Eagle” is number one on his own personal list.

    Nurmagomedov’s long-time coach turned fellow corner Javier Mendez gave his reaction to this in a recent interview with Red Corner MMA.

    “No I haven’t seen it and I’m not surprised, Donald Trump has spoken always highly about Khabib and what a great fighter he thinks and also, Donald Trump from the very beginning back when the UFC just started and they would get into the Trump Towers, their hotels and Donald Trump was one of the few people that took a chance on them back in the day. So, Donald Trump’s an MMA fan so not surprising that he would choose ‘The Eagle’ because we all choose ‘The Eagle’, I choose ‘The Eagle’.”

    Javier Mendez On Why The UFC Decided To Release New Conor McGregor & Khabib Nurmagomedov Footage

    On July 15, the UFC released the latest episode of their “UFC Muted” series on YouTube which strips away the commentary so you can hear audio from fights that wasn’t possible before.

    The subject of this particular instalment was sure to bring attention due to it being no-commentary clips of the biggest fight in UFC history, Conor McGregor vs “The Eagle”.

    Mendez was asked to give his thoughts on why the UFC decided to release this footage at this time in particular.

    He explained how in his opinion, this was done to keep Nurmagomedov in the spotlight ahead of his return to the corner this past weekend, where he helped his cousin Umar Nurmagomedov to stay undefeated against Cory Sandhagen in the main event.

    He said that the promotion knows what they’re doing and if they can’t have the former champion back inside the Octagon, they’ll look to make the most out of his star quality in other ways.

    “I believe the UFC’s genius at what they do. I believe they’re building the ‘young eagle’ situation because Khabib was in the corner and they showed the corner. Why would you show the corners if you’re not trying to build that as a corner. So no, UFC, they go with the algorithm, they know what they’re doing and I believe that’s what they’re doing. They’re building up Khabib as the next great coach and he is. He’s on track to being the next great coach if not the greatest coach. So I believe the UFC is playing that narrative because that’s a smart move on their part.”

    Read also: Javier Mendez Chooses Between Khabib & Umar Nurmagomedov In Striking, Grappling, Mental Toughness, & Chin

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov Tax Problems Explained: How Much Money Does He Owe?

    Khabib Nurmagomedov Tax Problems Explained: How Much Money Does He Owe?

    Khabib Nurmagomdeov has gained massive popularity in MMA circles due to his perfect record. He fought Conor McGregor at UFC 229, the most-bought PPV in the promotion’s history, and probably made a fortune from it.

    Nurmagomedov retired from MMA after defending his UFC lightweight belt for the third time at UFC 254. Since then, he’s focused on building his MMA promotion Eagle FC in Russia and training the likes of Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov and Usman Nurmagomedov.

    The former UFC lightweight champion has also made headlines recently due to tax problems. Here’s how much money Nurmagomedov owes to the Russian Federation and what happened to his bank account…

    Does Khabib Nurmagomedov Owe Taxes?

    As per Russian media outlet Mash and Ren TV, Nurmagomedov owes $3.3 million (306 million Rubles) to the Federal Tax Services in Russia. It was also reported that he’s left Russia and now has UAE citizenship. However, with no response from the Dagestani fighter and his camp, it is hard to confirm whether these allegations are entirely true.

    The reasons behind the retired UFC lightweight’s financial problems are speculated to be tax evasion and incorrect information in records. In 2021, Octagon.media revealed that authorities had blocked his foundation accounts because of untimely report submissions.

    “The Eagle” had to pay 36,000 Rubles to avoid the liquidation of his foundation’s account. The account ban could’ve affected the partners of his foundation such as Lipestk LMK Group, Prime Top Indusrtry LLC, and Rosinka.

    What Happened To Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Bank Account?

    In May 2024, Mash and Ren TV reported that the Federal Tax Services in Russia had seized Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC and charity accounts. This was right after the authorities searched his gym due to connections with Gadzhimurad Kagirov, a fighter involved in the Derbent and Makhachkala terrorist attacks.

    Nurmagomedov’s foundations that helped in the development of tourism in Dagestan were also allegedly shut down in the process.

    Interestingly, the UFC legend’s team had rejected the early claims about his tax debt and had claimed that he was still growing his ventures.

    On July 25, 2024, another report by Mash suggested that the authorities seized Nurmagomedov’s car collection worth over $800,000. This is suspected to be a result of him leaving Russia and settling in the UAE.

    What Businesses Does Khabib Nurmagomedov Own?

    Nurmagomedov owns Eagle FC, a Russian MMA promotion, and a fast food chain called M-Eat. Although it has previously featured the likes of Kevin Lee, Diego Sanchez, Rashad Evans, and Junior Dos Santos, the promotion’s last event took place in November 2023 and there’s no information on the next card.

    M-Eat, on the flip side, has fourteen stores in Russia with plans to reach other countries as well.

    Rival stars like McGregor have left no opportunity to call Nurmagomedov out for his tax troubles. Regardless, “The Eagle” has maintained silence while regularly appearing on UFC shows as a cornerman for Makhachev, Nurmagomedov, and other fighters.

  • Conor McGregor Brands Donald Trump’s Pick For His Favorite UFC Fighter A ‘Campaign-Ending Decision’

    Conor McGregor Brands Donald Trump’s Pick For His Favorite UFC Fighter A ‘Campaign-Ending Decision’

    Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor was not pleased to see the name Donald Trump produced when asked for his favorite fighter.

    The former United States president recently appeared for an interview with Internet personality Adin Ross, during which he named legendary former UFC lightweight kingpin Khabib Nurmagomedov as top of his fighter list.

    Among those snubbed were Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal, both of whom have pledged heavy public support for Trump across recent years.

    Also not getting a mention was McGregor, who unsurprisingly had something to say after hearing the name of his biggest rival on the ex-president’s lips…

    McGregor Has Expected Response After Trump Picks Khabib

    McGregor and Khabib had one of the most heated UFC feuds of all time, with public altercations and controversial remarks from the Irishman fueling an immense amount of bad blood in the lead-up to their UFC 229 main event in 2018.

    And that boiled over following the Russian’s submission win, with Nurmagomedov vaulting the Octagon fence and attacking McGregor’s corner, sparking a brawl inside T-Mobile Arena.

    In the years since, McGregor has kept his sights on “The Eagle,” frequently targeting him, his teammates, his religion, his late father, and his country on social media.

    That trend continued in response to Khabib’s selection as Trump’s favorite fighter, with the Irishman jokingly branding it a “campaign-ending decision” from the Republican presidential nominee.

    Conor McGregor

    “Campaign ending decision, McGregor wrote. “A smelly fat mountain monkey from the inbred mountains of Dagestan is your favorite UFC (AMERICAN COMPANY) fighter? Wow. Abysmal.”

    McGregor previously expressed support for Trump after he was the target of an assassination attempt while speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania last month.

    Evidently, the Irishman’s hatred for Khabib is enough to put anyone in the firing line should they express admiration or appreciation for the Russian’s career.

  • Javier Mendez Chooses Between Khabib & Umar Nurmagomedov In Striking, Grappling, Mental Toughness, & Chin

    Javier Mendez Chooses Between Khabib & Umar Nurmagomedov In Striking, Grappling, Mental Toughness, & Chin

    Islam Makhachev may have picked up where the great Khabib Nurmagomedov left off with dominating the lightweight division, but his legacy has also been continued by his own family.

    There are a lot of parallels in the careers of Khabib and his younger cousin Umar Nurmagomedov.

    Both have been incredibly dominant inside the Octagon but during their climbs, were held back by injuries and issues with finding opponents.

    Eventually, “The Eagle” was undeniable and proved himself to be a top-tier lightweight and that’s what happened in the bantamweight division with Umar this past weekend.

    His win over Cory Sandhagen means that just like Islam and his cousin before him, he’s arrived at the top at long last.

    Javier Mendez Says Khabib Was A Better Grappler But Umar Nurmagomedov Is Already A Better Striker

    In a recent interview with The Schmo, AKA head coach Javier Mendez was asked to compare Umar and Khabib as fighters, given where the undefeated 135-pound contender is at right now.

    Mendez is very high on Umar’s potential and went on to say that with Islam being four years older than him, Khabib’s cousin could go on to claim the position of being the number 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world at some stage.

    He spoke about what separates the two cousins, by running down which one has the edge in terms of their skill set and toughness.

    “Well as far as skills at this juncture of their careers, that’s a tough one you hit me with. I would say that Khabib’s ground is still top notch. Umar’s ground is great but Khabib was just another level but again, Khabib’s stand up wasn’t up to where Umar’s is on par. But, as far as their mental, their mental is fairly comparable. Khabib’s chin’s granite, I’ve never seen anybody have a chin like Khabib. Umar has got a great chin as he proved from the last fight when he got dropped and he was able to go for the takedown as he was being dropped but I guess the chin level would have to go with Khabib but the mental toughness, I think they’re pretty equal, mental toughness. I mean Umar is a tough customer man.”

    Read also: Umar Nurmagomedov ‘Not Happy’ With Performance Against Cory Sandhagen At UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi: ‘I Thought I Would Maul Him’